public channel | d17

[anti_nonsense]

[ With the Ringmaster cutting off the kidnappee’s radios, it seems as good a time as any to use them again -- particularly since some particularly concerning developments have come to light. ]

As you’ve probably heard, some of our people got kidnapped at CY-Ren’s concert. [ If Lambert sounds incredibly reluctant to talk about this, it’s because he is. ] She’s also apparently managed to turn some -- maybe all of them -- into Harbingers like her.

[ Rita, on the other hand, shows no hesitation as she barrels ahead into an explanation. ]

For those not aware, Guardians and Harbingers both draw power from something called a 'Spark'... a physical manifestation of one's greatest passion or desire. For Harbingers, that passion has been inverted and twisted to serve the purpose of the Void... to destroy all living things. In other words, they've been brainwashed, and with their Sparks awakened, they're also incredibly powerful.

And now they’re using those powers to… [ Lambert pauses again. This is the part that sounds really stupid to him: ] … cause trouble around the city. Funny thing is, can’t say we’ve seen CY-Ren around at all. Can’t be a coincidence.

...Right. I don't know what their goal is, but maybe they can tell us, if we manage to recapture them. There has to be a way to get them back to normal, too.

As they are now, they're too strong to take down with normal means, but we have one new tool at our disposal. Through some sort of awakening, some among us are now able to manifest our own Sparks and fight back using the power of Creation. This should give us the edge we need to beat the Harbingers... and CY-Ren.

[ ‘Some sort’ of awakening is one way to put it. To wrap it up before this goes on too long, Lambert finishes: ]

But first we need to know how many of us there actually are. So speak up. That goes for anyone who’s run into the Harbingers too -- if we can figure out their movements or catch one of them, maybe we can figure out what this next ‘concert’ of hers is going to do this time.

Comments

[whattaprick]

[ Pig doesn't wait for a cue from Lambert. She takes a step forward, and in a flash of light and sparkles, her form coalesces into a form Rita might actually recognize: a sleek, red and gold motorcycle, bodywork chased with molded white flames down her sides. Lambert snorts. ]

Show off. [ He's all too fond when he says that, then nods at Rita, waving a hand at his transformed familiar. ]

I've got that. Not exactly a weapon, but ... she can run.

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert doesn't try to resist -- it's a bubble, after all -- and though there's a bit of resistance to start, he finally pops through, leaving him half-trapped inside, over his shoulders and upper body. His hands aren't trapped, though, and he starts experimentally wiggling around and tapping it from the outside. ]

Hmm. Tougher than it looks.

[dressedtothe]

Yeah. I got into a fight with Lavellan when I tried to convince her to come with me to look for Childermass.

She doesn't seem to have any flight capabilities-- [or maybe she just couldn't be bothered to give chase] --so I was able to escape when I received my powers.

[dressedtothe]

[Oh hey it's Rita's patented backhanded praise.]

I'll be fine, Rita.

[Nevermind that Foster had thoroughly weirded him out when he'd asked to be his familiar. But he's loyal enough? Even though the loyalty really should be running the other way around...]

He wants to help.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya's expression sours immediately.] I don't see how it's any worse than a book that produces cat paws.

[Whine whine, it's all ridiculous. He's not ashamed of being silly, but she won't let him own it. He takes a few steps back and waves his wand in emphasis.] Throw whatever you want at me, I can take it!

[moonfang]

What, and be stuck as a useless tool to someone for however long it takes to clean up this mess? A tool in the form of some cute fluffy animal, no less. I am a weapon, but I have standards. I ain't into this mahou shoujo garbage. i'm more of a seinen man myself. Or hell, at least supernatural shounen!

Ya don't need to know what she's up to to know it's no good. Capture one of the evil mahou and torture the info outta 'em. Simple enough!

[anti_nonsense]

[There's a pause. Rita's trying to be hostile here, and his calm reassurance is completely throwing her off.]

Ngh... maybe, but are you sure you can rely on someone like this?

[reflash]

This is Okumura Yukio, and I am a Guardian. [Yukio says, trying to stay professional after having been transformed into a magical girl... boy? magical boy, with all the cute weapons and talking animal familiars and frills and bows and thigh-high high heeled leather boots that that entails.]

My abilities appear to be entirely support-based, with no offensive skills. If you need healing or plan on hunting down any Harbingers, please contact me immediately.

[anti_nonsense]

I see...

I ran into her too, actually. She wasn't the first one for me, but it went... about the same, I guess. [A stalemate, more or less, with neither properly defeating the other.] I was hoping this power would be enough to take down a Harbinger myself, but... so much for that.

[anti_nonsense]

Powerful enough that even a whole team of us couldn't put a scratch on CY-Ren back at that concert, for one. The others don't seem that powerful... but it could be that they're still learning to use their own powers, still.

Not that anything's really stopping you from trying to fight them. Just saying, you'll lose.

[dressedtothe]

[There's a long pause. Uh.................]

Well, he's my familiar now. So some of my power's with him anyway.

[Good decisions were made that hour :') ]

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita's eyes widen, and stay wide as she stares at the transformed pony.]

...You really weren't kidding. [He did say it could do this, but seeing it is completely different from hearing it. Still, after getting past that initial weirdness, she draws closer to the bike, examining it with curiosity. It must be powered entirely by magic...]

Been a while since I was up close with one of these. [If it wasn't also a living horse, she'd want to try taking it apart to see how it works... Too bad.]

[anti_nonsense]

[It's not so much animosity as it is Rita being an insensitive jerk for no reason, but hey. At least she thinks gems are pretty neat, so she hasn't come up with any mean names to call them by.]

Yeah... seems that way. [There's hesitation in her tone, like she knows how stupid that mental image must be.]

At this point, we can probably assume everyone who was taken is one now.

[anti_nonsense]

Yeah, well, try not to kill these idiots. Not that they'll make it easy for you.

We could use some of that firepower of yours, though.

[hippocarnival]

It has to be, right? [Bubbles aren't particularly sturdy, normally. Yuya leans back to inspect the bubble from afar... looks decent.] Maybe I can make it more solid? So it's harder to pop.

[anti_nonsense]

Support, huh... [Seems like they've got a few of those on the Guardian side. Rita's just glad she's not one of them. Support magic always bored her, even though she knows how useful it can be.]

So you can heal injuries? What else can you do?

[periphrasing]

Not quite all of them. Amethyst got turned into a familiar instead.

[whattaprick]

Considering how last time turned out? Just a little. But we outnumber her now, so it could just be about finding her when she's alone.

[ Because of course the rest of the solutions Alphys proposed just sound wacky to him. ]

[anti_nonsense]

A familiar? You mean, for the other side?

[textsfromhotland]

[Sounds like SOMEbody needs to come to the next anime club meeting]

Oh! That's another thing! Believing in yourself is a big theme in these stories, too! So if we think we can do it, we... might be able to!

[The Guardian of Enthusiasm, everyone.]

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita sighs.]

I guess it's too late for second thoughts, huh...

[anti_nonsense]

[There's the slightest frown when that criticism gets turned back around at her, but Rita lights up at the invitation to throw another attack at him. She takes a jump back too, her book floating along beside her, always staying within arm's reach.]

Whatever I want, huh? [Rita can't help but smirk at that. She looks almost gleeful as she holds out a hand and silently commands her book to seek out a new page.] I hope you know what that means.

Arise! Entwining Inferno!

[Again, the book tilts to face Yuya, but this time, three streams of fire burst forth from the open pages, twisting around in a braid-like pattern as they shoot toward Yuya.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya should really reconsider baiting Rita, who is not shy about throwing around fire.

Since this is a test of his Guardian abilities, Yuya holds back the urge to use his shield. Instead he holds the wand firmly and waves it slower, producing a very larger bubble.

That just about bursts on impact, not strong enough to hold back the barreling fire past the initial burst. He tumbles backwards to dodge the flames as they, presumably, explode in his face.]

[criticallyfucked]

[He's.... very quiet for a few seconds. Like he's actually thinking that one over.]

....no.

That would defeat the purpose.

[anti_nonsense]

What purpose?

[Rita's not sure she can understand this guy, but maybe she can guess. He did say something like...]

To get back what the Void took from you?